Congratulations! You have made it to the end of another semester in one piece. You deserve to catch your breath and celebrate. Here are some ways to do just that:

1. Thank your loved ones.They have put up with your grumpiness, your tantrums and your anxiety all term. They’ve done chores for you that you should have been doing yourself, but turned a blind eye to because of school work. They’ve listened to you, given you advice or bitten their tongue to refrain from giving you too much advice. Seriously, they deserve some appreciation. Show your love with some flowers, a nice dinner out or some other special thank you for the loved ones who have been there for you all term.

2. Thank your classmates. Was there a classmate who really supported you this term? Was there a fellow student who listened when you needed a shoulder to cry on? Or someone who gave you awesome feedback on your work? Learning is not a solitary endeavour. Send your classmate a note of appreciation and tell them how much he or she means to you.

3. Book some self-care. Whether it is a massage, a chiropractic treatment, or a spa day, plan on rejuvenating your health and well-being. Book your wellness appointment today.

4. Go outside! You’ve likely been glued to your computer screen for weeks now, as you wrap up your final papers and projects. Go for a walk. Do some work in the garden. Just go outside and listen to the birds chirp. It’s time to expand your world beyond your own little work space again.

5. Re-connect with friends. Have you been ignoring your friends all term because of school work? Have you declined invitations or backed out of social engagements at the last minute because you’ve had too much work to do or just felt too stressed out? Your friends are waiting for you! Send your favourite pals a text or an e-mail today to make plans to get together.

6. Take a bath. There’s nothing like a hot, soothing bath to wash away the stress of a semester. Use bubbles, candles, music or whatever will help you relax. Take some to soak in the success of having completed another term.

7. Prepare a healthy meal. Have you been eating food out of boxes and cans these past few weeks, as you madly finish up projects? If so, your body is probably crying for some fresh vegetables and fruit. Why not take the time to prepare your favourite meal? Even better, make supper for your family or friends to thank them for supporting you.

These are just a few suggestions to celebrate the end of your semester. You probably have some ideas of your own. The important point here is to actually take the time to pause and celebrate your achievement. By completing another semester, you have reached another milestone towards your goals. Taking time to celebrate along the way is important and helps you to remember why you are doing all this.

Recently some of my graduate students presented papers that had citations from Wikipedia. Personally, I think there is some valuable information on Wikipedia. Anyone can be a contributor. I am a contributor and I would encourage anyone with a commitment to research and sharing knowledge to become a contributor, too. It’s a highly democratic knowledge base.

Having said that, because anyone can be a contributor, some entries can contain incorrect or inflammatory information.

Though some researchers believe it is fine to cite Wikipedia, there are others who are vehemently opposed to Wikipedia citations in academic work. It is a contentious topic in academia.

If you submit a manuscript to a peer-reviewed journal for consideration, it could happen that some reviewers might reject your manuscript based solely on the fact that you have cited Wikipedia… though they may never tell you that.

When it comes to citing Wikipedia, here is how to avoid upsetting journal editors or professors… or anyone else for that matter:

Step 1: Examine the primary references listed at the bottom of the a Wikipedia article.

Step 2: Check that they are real references. People have been known to fabricate primary sources and fake research papers. Go back to the original source.

Step 3: Read the original source yourself. It is good for you to learn how to read research articles published in peer-reviewed journal. This comes with the territory of being a student (particularly a grad student).

Step 4: Evaluate the original source.

Step 5: Once you are satisfied that the original research is sound, cite the original source instead of the Wikipedia article.

This is an extra step that will ensure your work — and you — are taken seriously in both professional and academic circles.

I am curious to know about your experiences with this topic? Thoughts? Feedback? Discussion?